“Over the next two years our focus is on refining and redistributing capacity rather than reinventing the network. Lakshadweep remains a core part of our offering and continues to be one of our most popular destinations,” said Jurgen Bailom, CEO at Cordelia Cruises, which goes from one ship this year to three by the end of 2027.
This year, the Empress will introduce new international itineraries from Kochi, including a five-night Malé and Colombo cruise, alongside a two-night high-seas weekend cruise.
“From Chennai, we will operate five-night Sri Lanka cruises, five-night Visakhapatnam and Puducherry itineraries, and open-jaw 10-night Southeast Asia sailings between Chennai and Singapore in July,” he said.
Heading to Asia
Looking ahead to 2027, the company plans to add more Southeast Asia itineraries with open-jaw seven-night sailings between Chennai and Singapore on the Cordelia Sky, which transfers from Norwegian Cruise Line later this year.
“These itineraries are designed not only for Indian travelers, but also for international guests,” said Bailom.
The Sky will take over the core itineraries currently operated by the Empress, initially sailing from Mumbai when she enters service in October.
“The intent is continuity, not disruption,” he added. “The Sky allows us to operate these high-demand routes at a larger scale, with greater capacity and more balcony cabins.”
The Sky is approximately 25 percent larger than the Empress.
“As our deployment evolves, the Sky will move to Kochi and continue operating the itineraries that the Empress has established there, while benefiting from the ship’s size, speed and operational flexibility,” Bailom said.
The Sun will join the Cordelia fleet in 2027, sailing from Mumbai. The Sky will then move to Kochi, and the Empress will shift to sailing from Chennai on a near year-round basis.
“This creates a balanced, multi-homeport network across India with both domestic and international itineraries.
“The speed capability of the newer ships provides greater flexibility to introduce additional ports from existing homeports,” Bailom said.
International Appeal
“We are seeing growing interest from international travellers who want to explore India and its surrounding regions without the complexity of multi-city travel,” Bailom explained.
“Weeklong itineraries such as Southeast Asia sailings, Sri Lanka routes and extended regional cruises allow us to position cruising as a gateway into India, rather than just a domestic holiday format.”
Bailom said that as of early 2026, the company was well into planning its 2028 deployment.
“Port infrastructure and operational reliability are the primary considerations,” he explained. “A successful itinerary delivers across multiple metrics and blends destination discovery with meaningful onboard experiences.
“We focus on creating well-paced journeys that offer a mix of marquee ports, leisure days at sea and immersive shore excursions, ensuring the overall experience feels enriching rather than rushed.
“From a long-term perspective, success also means repeatability. If an itinerary can be operated reliably across seasons and becomes easy for the trade to sell, it becomes part of the core network.”
